Need a Great Idea? Feed Your Brain

A lot of great ideas happen when two or more other ideas collide to form something completely new.

Think of this like those old chemistry movies we used to watch in school. You had all of those atoms floating around and when two collided -- bam! A chemical reaction. Maybe something new was created. Maybe something exploded. Or maybe it all fizzled out and nothing happened.

Well, a similar reaction is going on inside your brain or muse. Except instead of atoms floating around they're pieces of information or other ideas. As they drift about, they occasionally bump into each other. When that happens, you may get a new, third idea. Or a big explosion. Or absolutely nothing at all.

Now, if you have lots of atoms, or information and ideas, you're going to get lots of reactions. Some will fail. Some will be so-so. And some will be hot -- so hot, so full of energy, they'll have the power to change the trajectory of a business. Or even a life.

The problem occurs when you don't have lots of random information and ideas. Fewer atoms mean fewer reactions. On top of that, you still have to weed through the invariable duds. So the odds of landing that one amazing idea drop considerably.

But not to worry -- there's good news. You can increase your odds of getting those great ideas. Better yet, it's fairly easy and painless. Below are three ways to get started.

1. Read, read and read some more. I know, I know, I can hear the groans already. "But I already have too much to read. How can I fit more reading in?" Never fear, there are ways to do this. (Remember I did say this was painless.)

The key is to keep it wide and shallow. What does that mean? Well, read lots and lots of different things, but keep it general. Read about sheep farming, finances, yoga, cooking, traveling, dog training, etc. But keep it general -- don't read deeply. You can even skim if that's all you have time for.

Start by subscribing to a couple of different magazines and e-zines. General interest magazines are really good for this -- Walt Disney used to read Reader's Digest. Scatter them around the house -- by the bed, the couch, even the bathroom. I'd put a few in your car as well for those times when you have to wait for an appointment.

When you have a few moments, flip through them. Skim a few paragraphs. See what catches your eye.

You can also buy or rent audio books and CDs and listen while you exercise, drive, do the dishes, etc.

Whatever you do, DON'T read publications related to your industry. That's for another time. This is brain-feeding time, not keeping up in your profession time.

2. Travel the world. Traveling has so many fabulous benefits for your creative soul I could write an article just about that, but for now I'll limit my comments to brain food.

When you travel, you open yourself up to lots of new and exciting experiences. New sights, new sounds, new smells, new tastes, new textures. And they all have the ability to form a reaction with something else.

Don't have time to hop on a plane to India? Take a day trip to a town you've never visited. Or, if you can only spare a few hours, seek out a park you've never been to or a museum you've been meaning to see or even that new cute little shop that just opened. You can always find somewhere new to visit no matter how long you've lived in the same city. And if you're truly desperate, try walking around your neighborhood on the opposite side of the street in the opposite direction you normally walk. (It can help jolt you out of rut.)

3. Open yourself up to new things. Of all of these, this one is probably the scariest. But, it also has the potential to be the most powerful.

Take the time to try new things. Meet people outside your normal circle of friends. Attend associations, nonprofits, hobby groups outside of the ones you usually go to. Listen to speakers on topics you know nothing about. Take a class at a community college about something outside your scope of knowledge. Or even have dinner at an ethnic restaurant you've never tried.

Now I'm not just talking about "typical" creative things, like taking an art class or learning to belly dance. If you're a creative professional, take a class on doing your own taxes or budgeting your finances or repairing your car. (Oooh, I bet all you creative folk felt a chill when I mentioned that.) The point is to really stretch yourself past your comfort zone. Make yourself uncomfortable. It's not only a great way to grow, but it's a fabulous way to keep your muse fat and happy.

And that helps keep the ideas flowing.

Creativity Exercises -- Prepare the banquet

Over the next month, I want you do to at least one tactic from each of the above three techniques.

1. Read something you know nothing about. Even if you only spend five minutes skimming an article about quilting when the last time you tried to sew a button on a shirt you stabbed yourself with the needle and got blood all over the material.

2. Travel somewhere you've never been before. Even if it's an antique shop and the most antique piece of furniture in your house is a bookshelf your parents bought from Sears when you were a little kid.

3. Stretch yourself in a different and potentially scary way. Even if it's attending one of those Home Depot gardening workshops despite every plant you've tried to grow didn't and if your thumb was any blacker it would fall off.

You know how you work better when you're not hungry, see how well your muse starts churning out ideas after a good meal.

Michele Pariza Wacek is the author of "Got Ideas? Unleash Your Creativity and Make More Money." She offers two free e-zines that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.TheArtistSoul.com

In The News:

Retro tech is making a comeback. Gen-Z are letting go of smartphones for flip-phones. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains which brands have the best ones.

Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson highlights two new apps that will help you track your subscriptions and protect your personal information.

Elon Musk and Bill Gates, amongst other tech giants, are actively contributing to the artificial intelligence conversation. Take a look at these educational opportunities for learning more about AI.

Kurt "The CyberGuy" Knutsson shares how using a Google Maps tool allows you to see what your house looked like years ago, going as far back as 10-15 years.

Protect your Facebook account with awareness to scamming messages such as getting a false message from someone pretending being a close friend of yours.

Geoffrey Hinton, "godfather of AI," continues to warn about dangers of AI, saying industry leaders and politicians need to work on the issue now.

Researchers at MIT and McMaster University have identified a new drug that can kill a type of bacteria responsible for drug-resistant infections.

Enhance your holiday gatherings and birthday parties to another level with a number of apps on your smartphone such as "Evite," "Heads Up," Zoom and more.

Kurt "The CyberGuy" Knutsson warns about the dark web and explains how you can know whether your data has been stolen and what steps you should take afterwards.

Many of the apps on our smartphones can trick us with free trial periods but then charge huge subscription fees. Here's what's worth the money and what isn't.

Make sure to follow this advice from Kurt "CyberGuy' Knutsson before you dispose of your Android smartphone, and keep your information stored and safe.

AI leaders will eventually need an international authority in order to regulate future superintelligence, according to the leaders of OpenAI.

Apple gears up to introduce a new feature via iOS 17 that will not only act as your assistant, but will be able to clone your voice in 15 minutes.

AI has so many functions that many industries can and will take advantage of. This will significantly change daily work functions and what jobs look like years from now.

Natural language processing is one of the most advanced fields of artificial intelligence. Some experts have several legitimate concerns about this type of AI.

People in Texas sounded off on AI job displacement, with half of people who spoke to Fox News convinced that the tech will rob them of work.

Tech leaders, such as OpenAI's Sam Altman and Google's Sundar Pichai, posted essays this week arguing in favor of regulating artificial intelligence as the tech becomes smarter.

Protect your Facebook and information by using two-factor authorization as well as authentication tactics to assure that your data is protected.

There are many great smartphones on the market, but when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy and the Apple iPhone, which is best? Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson says.

Texas residents share how familiar they are with artificial intelligence on a scale from one to 10 and detailed how much they use it each day.

A new Twitter account is sharing the location and flight information of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to enter the 2024 Republican presidential primary this week.

Apple Pay is an easy way to buy things. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how it works and what to do if you lose your phone and the information on it.

Passkeys have been recently introduced by acting as a password managers. Because it is a new concept, you should not abandon your current password manager.

A tech designer is building a program called Seance AI, which will allow users to speak with a chatbot mimicking a dead loved one that could help people find closure.

A look at the history of artificial intelligence and the advancements made in AI technology in recent years, plus some answers to frequently asked questions.

Need a Great Idea? Feed Your Brain

Article Writing Article Writing